Arwyp nurse awarded for excellence
The award is not just an accolade but includes a trip to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for a leadership programme
RETIRING as an IT executive after 20 years and studying nursing has paid off for Rob Martino (43), who will be jetting off to Boston as part of a prize he received after being awarded a Discovery Excellence Award for nursing.
Martino, a nurse at Arwyp Hospital, is one of four nurses nationwide who were given the award.
The prize includes a trip to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for a leadership programme.
The two-week trip will take place in April 2017.
“After their stay in hospital, Discovery members are given a questionnaire about their entire hospital experience. They are also asked to make mention of hospital staff who made a difference to them,” explained Martino.
“Discovery collated the info from the surveys and a list was created of nurses recognised by patients nationwide,” he added.
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Martino pointed out that 300 000 members had responded and 160 nurses countrywide were mentioned.
“We then received a questionnaire to fill out outlining what drives us, what we think can be done to improve the nursing profession as well as what we believe we did that made an impact in the lives of the patients who nominated us,” he said.
Ten finalists were then chosen, and the 10 nurses were taken on a weekend getaway where they underwent a judging process by a panel of four judges, including the chairperson of the South African Nursing Council, as well as the Medunsa HOD.
“An award dinner was then held where the four winners, including myself, were announced.”
How does Martino feel about this honour?
“I feel excited, over the moon – it means recognition of my hard work.”
The father of one has been working at Arwyp for the past five years and has also been practising in the nursing field for the past five years.
Martino says he has always had an interest in medicine but never had the opportunity to study in university.
“For 20 years I worked in IT, I then retired from the profession. It was when I was hospitalised that I was impressed by the nurses and inspired to take up nursing.”
After 20 years of being unfulfilled as an IT executive, Martino went back to school in order to be able to do what he loves, which is caring for people.
“I love patients and getting to know them. I also love working with a wonderful team of fellow nurses. Being able to make a difference to people from a medical and emotional point of view.”
Martino’s family was very supportive of his career change so late in his life.
“My parents’ say that from childhood I was very caring – caring is my passion.”
His message to young people: “Nursing is an extremely exciting and rewarding career, definitely in need of high-calibre people to contribute.”
He pointed out that there were more and more men emerging in the industry.
“The stigma and viewpoint is changing. The profession is evolving. It is not about gender but about you as a person. A male nurse is a nurse, a female nurse is a nurse,” he said.
